Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner has a removable cyclonic separator that includes a cyclone chamber; a dirt-collection chamber, open at one end; and an outlet duct from the cyclone chamber. An open end of the outlet duct is arranged for connection to a motor intake duct on the cleaner, the outlet duct and dirt collection chamber sharing a common wall section which divides the open end of the outlet duct from the open end of the dirt collection chamber. A cover closes off the open end of the dirt collection chamber and can be opened to allow access to the dirt collection chamber for emptying. When the cover is in the closed position, a cover sealing member forms an air seal between the cover and the common wall section. When the outlet duct is connected to the motor inlet duct, an outlet duct sealing member forms an air seal between the ducts.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a removable cyclonic separator, the separator comprising: a cyclone chamber; a dirt-collection chamber, open at one end; an outlet duct from the cyclone chamber, an open end of the outlet duct being arranged for connection to a motor intake duct on the cleaner, the outlet duct and dirt collection chamber sharing a common wall section which divides the open end of the outlet duct from the open end of the dirt collection chamber; a cover which closes off the open end of the dirt collection chamber and which can be opened to allow access to the dirt collection chamber for emptying; a cover sealing member which, when the cover is in the closed position, forms an air seal between the cover and the common wall section; and an outlet duct sealing member which, when the outlet duct is connected to the motor inlet duct, forms an air seal between the ducts. 
     
     
       2. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the motor intake duct connects directly to atmosphere across the air-seal formed by the outlet duct sealing member, in order to create a bypass leakage path between atmosphere and the motor intake duct if the air-seal fails. 
     
     
       3. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the open end of the outlet duct fits over the end of the motor intake duct to form a bypass leakage channel between the walls of the ducts, which channel connects the motor intake duct to atmosphere across the air seal formed by the outlet duct sealing member. 
     
     
       4. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the outlet duct sealing member sits inside the bypass leakage channel. 
     
     
       5. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the outlet duct sealing member is fixedly mounted on the outside of the motor intake duct and forms a seal against the inside of the outlet duct. 
     
     
       6. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , in which the dirt-collection chamber is an annular chamber surrounding the outlet duct. 
     
     
       7. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , in which the cover is likewise annular and the outlet duct extends through the annular cover. 
     
     
       8. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , in which the cover sealing member seals against the outside wall of the outlet duct. 
     
     
       9. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , in which the cover sealing member is a flexible lip seal provided along the inner rim of the annular cover. 
     
     
       10. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , in which a gasket is additionally provided on the cover for sealing against an outer wall of the dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
       11. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises an inlet duct, the inlet duct being arranged for connection to a dirty-air duct on the cleaner, wherein the inlet duct and the outlet duct share a common wall which divides the open ends of the inlet duct and the outlet duct, and an inlet duct sealing member is provided which, when the inlet duct is connected to the dirty air duct, forms an air seal between the inlet duct and the dirty air duct. 
     
     
       12. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the open end of the inlet duct fits over the end of the dirty air duct. 
     
     
       13. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the inlet duct sealing member is fixedly mounted on the outside of the dirty-air duct and forms a seal against the inside of the inlet duct. 
     
     
       14. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the inlet duct and the dirt collection chamber additionally share a common wall section which divides the open end of the inlet duct from the open end of the dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
       15. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , in which the dirt collection chamber is an annular chamber surrounding both the inlet duct and the outlet duct. 
     
     
       16. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , in which the common wall section between the inlet duct and the dirt collection chamber and the common wall section between the outlet duct and the dirt collection chamber together define an inner wall of the dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
       17. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , in which the cover is likewise annular and the cover sealing member seals against the inner wall of the dirt collection chamber. 
     
     
       18. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the cover sealing member is a flexible lip seal provided along the inner rim of the annular cover.